Deputy prime minister Pawlak resigns

Waldemar Pawlak on his way to see PM Tusk last night: photo - PAP Radek Pietruszka

Pawlak handed in his notice for the posts of deputy prime minister and economy minister at a meeting with Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Monday evening.

Earlier, Pawlak met for 15 minutes with Janusz Piechociński, who won the ballot to lead the junior coalition partner PSL at a party convention on Saturday.

Pawlak told a press conference in the parliament building that “a member of the government, particularly Deputy Prime Minister, must be a person who has the confidence of his party”.

The 51 year-old former prime minister said his resignation from the government will not weaken Poland's negotiating position on the EU budget for 2014-20, which will be discussed at the summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday.

“There's no problem when it comes to negotiations,” he said as Poland tries maintain levels of subsidies for infrastructure and agricultural projects.

The new leader of the rural-based PSL, Janusz Piechociński, will meet with PM Tusk on Tuesday, a government spokesman confirmed, to discuss the situation.

PSL has had three positions in the cabinet since 2007 when the centre-right Civic Platform became the largest party in parliament but without a majority to rule alone.

The party, which currently has around 5 percent support in the country, hold the economy, labour and agricultural ministries. (pg)

source: PAP